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Electrospinning of Photocatalytic Electrodes for Dye-sensitized Solar Cells
Published on: June 28, 2017
Electrospun anatase-phase TiO2 nanofibers with different morphological structures and specific surface areas
Guangfei He1, Yibing Cai, Yong Zhao
1Program of Materials Engineering and Science, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD 57701, USA.
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
|March 16, 2013
Summary
Electrospun titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanofibers with tailored structures, including hollow/tubular and porous morphologies, exhibit enhanced specific surface areas. These advanced TiO2 nanofibers show promise for applications in dye-sensitized solar cells and photocatalysis.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Electrospun nanofibers offer unique advantages over traditional TiO2 nanostructures.
- Tailoring morphology and surface area of TiO2 is crucial for optimizing performance in applications like solar cells and photocatalysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically prepare and characterize electrospun anatase-phase TiO2 nanofibers with diverse morphological structures.
- To investigate the influence of different fabrication methods on the specific surface area of TiO2 nanofibers.
Main Methods:
- Electrospinning of precursor nanofibers followed by pyrolysis at 500°C.
- Co-axial electrospinning for hollow/tubular TiO2 nanofibers.
- NaOH etching treatment for porous TiO2 nanofibers.
Main Results:
- Hollow/tubular TiO2 nanofibers exhibited a BET specific surface area of ~27.3 m²/g, approximately double that of solid nanofibers (~15.2 m²/g).
- Porous TiO2 nanofibers derived from Al2O3/TiO2 precursors reached ~106.5 m²/g.
- Porous TiO2 nanofibers from ZnO/TiO2 precursors achieved the highest BET specific surface area of ~148.6 m²/g.
Conclusions:
- Electrospun TiO2 nanofibers with controlled morphologies (solid, hollow/tubular, porous) can be fabricated.
- Morphological engineering significantly enhances the specific surface area of TiO2 nanofibers, offering improved potential for advanced applications.
